


Allie was a biter

by Womble1



Category: Thunderbirds
Genre: Baby sitting, Brothers, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-19
Updated: 2021-01-19
Packaged: 2021-03-18 05:35:33
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 939
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28861896
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Womble1/pseuds/Womble1
Summary: This kind of came about from the opening descriptions of the Baudelaire children in A Series of Unfortunate Events. Combined with a line in one of my other pieces about a slightly chewed board book in Virgil's stash of kiddie toys in Thunderbird 2. Also puppy dog eyes just begs for the comparison.
Kudos: 10





	Allie was a biter

The Tracy boys never had a puppy, a house full of 5 growing boys had been enough mayhem for the adults involved and they had drawn the line at anything that needed as much regular exercise as Gordon. Yet despite this lack of doggy house guest, the brothers still found their belongings getting chewed. Many possible theories were explored, was it rats ( ugh, try not to think about it) or was there a stray cat, or zombie hamsters (Gordons suggestion). It had remained a mystery until one day when the three oldest had been playing on the games console whilst supposedly “watching” a wriggling baby Alan. The small child had been wedged into an oversized beanbag chair, and he sounded fairly content as far as his elder brothers could tell. He was making satisfied little snuffling noises that barely registered over the games soundtrack and the boys excited bellowing. 

It wasn't until a pause in the action that they glanced over to check on the blond drool monster to find him industriously gnawing on a spare games controller putting his two new teeth through their paces on every protruding button. Younger brothers really were disgusting. The controller was retrieved and replaced for something a little more appropriate, one of Gorton's fish bath toys that was mysteriously lying on the couch, he wasn't best pleased about that swap when he discovered it later that day. None of the other boys had ever taken to gnawing on things with quite so much gusto. 

But this wasn't just a one off, and it didn't phase out as he got older. No matter how much he grew, if left to his own devices he would give things a little experimental chew. Grandma said it was all part of growing up and discovering the world around you through exploration. Gordon thought she was getting confused with Dogs, and she soon changed her tune when Alan left tooth prints on the ends of her reading glasses. The amount of times he ended up with biro ink down his chin was a contributing factor to digitalising all his school work. Deep in thought in a board game might find him chewing on the corner of a leftover Meeple*. They no longer had plastic handled cutlery since it all started looking like it had helped wean a pack of wolves. 

Later into his teens it seemed to be something he turned to when he was a little distracted and in need of comfort. His brothers knew it was his “tell” that something wasn't right, Alan didn't realise he did it, so just assumed that his brothers were weirdly psychic. A trail of demolished biros meant that Alan probably needed a hug and to be made to talk about whatever was on his mind. It also meant he was shit at poker and Kayo could, and did, regularly take him to the cleaners. 

So when Virgil found three chewed pens, a book with a gnawed corner and a ravaged hairbrush, he realised it was time to hunt down the little bitey one. He diverted on his mission to snatch up a rogue novelty bath toy that he had spotted at the back of a bathroom cabinet. Virgil only had to go through three of Alan's usual haunts before he struck gold. Alan sat on the floor tucked next to a bookcase on the upper level overlooking the lounge. Virgil was able to get quite close before he was spotted. This managed to inforce Alan's opinion of his brother's psychic abilities and he looked up with a start, pencil half way to his mouth. Virgil loved his brothers, but god help him, if that was another B2 pencil he wouldn't be held accountable for his actions. But no, he pushed down the flare of anger, setting it aside for later, it wasn't important now, he firmly told himself. A calming breath and Virgil swiftly launched the bath toy at his baby brother's head and watched with satisfaction as it bounced squarely off his nose.

“Hey!” squeaked Alan “whats that for?”

“Quit chewing on that pencil, you’ll ruin your teeth. Now tell me what's bothering you”

“What do you mean, nothings bothering me, I wasn't chewing on… oh” he glanced down at his hands and the poor abused drawing implement. “Sorry” he offered up the soggy pencil.

“I’m good thanks, just ate” Virgil replied with a fond grin as he lowered himself onto the floor next to Alan.

Alan resigned himself to never understanding how his brothers knew when he was struggling, no matter how well he thought he had it under wraps. He let out a big sigh and tentatively started to unload his worries on his patient brother. Virgil, to his credit, even managed to keep a straight face as the duck bath toy got distractedly chewed at points in his brother's tale. Eventually, when the ducks beak was starting to lose its structural integrity, Alan had offloaded his woes and Virgil had even been able to help with a few suggestions. When it was clear Alan had wound down, Virgil suggested that other great cure all, hot chocolate. Alan, give him his due, didn't make a single comment at the undignified old man grunt that accompanied Virgil's stiff climb off the floor. Virgil made a mental note to pick up a few more bath toys on the next supply run and check when Alans next dental check up was due, maybe a puppy would have been less effort.

*Meeple - the little stylised people markers in board games actually have a name, so it needed to be used.


End file.
